As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. The more money you invest in a phone, car, or new suit, the better the quality you will get, and the happier you are going to be with it. Unfortunately, this is also true of our criminal justice system. When you are charged with something as serious as a sex crime, you want to hire the best attorney you can afford.
If You Cannot Afford an Attorney, One Will Be Provided for You
You should have heard these words as part of your Miranda rights when you were arrested. What it means is that the state will provide you with a defense attorney—known as a public defender—if you do not have the money to hire one yourself. This is an important right and one you should fully exercise if you do not have the money to hire an attorney. However, if you do have personal resources, you will not have the option of using a public defender. You will have to hire a private attorney.
Advantages of Hiring a Private Attorney
Public defenders are hard-working attorneys who do their best for their clients—there is no question about it. However, their caseloads are big and they are not able to spend a lot of time on each case. While they do often have good relationships with judges and prosecutors and may be able to secure quick plea deals, they simply don’t have the resources private attorneys have to build a strong defense. When you hire a private defense attorney, on the other hand, you will find that he is:
Available When You Need Him
Private attorneys build their businesses on being responsive to clients, so they will make an effort to answer your phone calls and meet with you when you request it.
Backed Up By Staff For Additional Support
Private criminal defense law firms have the resources to hire office staff who can answer questions and help clients when the attorney is not available.
Free To Limit His Caseload
Unlike public defenders who have no say in how many cases they get, a private attorney will only take as many cases as he can manage. This way, he can devote more time to each client.
Concerned About Outcomes
Private attorneys get new clients primarily by word of mouth. If they continually plead cases out and rarely get acquittals, they will not get new clients. Winning for his clients is essential to a successful practice.
Unlike a public defender, who is simply assigned to you, you have options when choosing a private attorney. Ask people you trust for recommendations and take the time to ask potential attorneys questions about their firm.
Are You Need Of A Florida Sex Crimes Defense Attorney?
If you've been accused of a sex crime in Florida you need to speak with an experienced sex crime defense lawyer as soon as possible. Contact me online or call my Miami office at 305.707.7345 today. We will discuss options for your defense and do everything we can to protect your rights and fight the charges.
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